Illuminable noisemaker and associated methods

ABSTRACT

An illuminable apparatus includes a housing with a noisemaking component and a container for an illumination element. The noisemaking component of the illuminable apparatus is configured to audibly attract the attention of an individual, while the illumination element provides light and, thus, may visibly attract an individual&#39;s attention. Additionally, the illumination element may provide a source of light for an individual using the illuminable apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF RELATED ART

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to illumination devices and,more specifically, to “glow stick” type illumination devices, whichinclude luminescent material.

2. Background of Related Art

Occasions during which it might be desirable to attract another'sattention include when an individual becomes lost in the wilderness, ina body of water, in a crowded area, or elsewhere. It may also bedesirable to attract another individual's attention when they insituations where danger is possible or imminent. Sometimes people justwant to be noisy, such as at parties, sporting events, or in any otherenvironment.

Various apparatus have been devised to assist individuals in attractingthe attention of others. Some of these attention-getting apparatusinclude elements that may be used to generate audible (i.e., sound)signals and visible (e.g., light) signals.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,679 to Chin-Fa and U.S. Pat. No. 6,329,927 to Hobsondisclose attention-getting apparatus that include, among other things,lights and noisemakers, such as whistles. The lamps of these apparatusare electrically operated. To maintain the portability of theseapparatus, they require batteries, electrodes, and some circuitry sothat the lamps thereof may be powered. The inclusion of a lamp (e.g.,light bulb, light-emitting diode and associated circuitry, etc.),battery, electrodes, and other elements, increases the complexity ofsuch devices, which may make them undesirably expensive. Moreover, theuse of conventional batteries is somewhat undesirable since the energystored within batteries dissipates over time, even when such batteriesare not used. Consequently, when a long period of time elapses from theinitial manufacture of a battery included within such an apparatus(e.g., during storage or other periods of nonuse of the apparatus), thelights of such apparatus may be rendered useless if the apparatus arestored for long periods of time and batteries are not available to anindividual using such an apparatus.

The inventor is not aware of a simple, illuminble apparatus that isconfigured for use in generating both audible and visible signalsregardless of the amount of time that has elapsed since the apparatuswas manufactured or stored.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention includes an illuminable apparatus.An example of an illuminable apparatus includes a housing with anoisemaking component and a container for an illumination element. Thenoisemaking component and the container may be integrated into thehousing.

According to another aspect, the present invention includes a method forattracting attention. Such a method includes generating audible signalsusing a individual-powered noisemaking component of an illuminableapparatus. Visible signals may be generated using a passive illuminationelement of the same illuminable apparatus. The audible and visiblesignals may be generated alone or in combination with one another.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent to those of skill in the art through consideration of theensuing description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, which depict exemplary embodiments of various aspectsof an illuminable apparatus that incorporates teachings of the presentinvention, as well as use of an illuminable apparatus to gain theattention of another individual:

FIG. 1 is perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of illuminableapparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side plan view of illuminable apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section through line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates a variation of the illuminable apparatus depicted inFIGS. 1 through 3;

FIG. 5 is a side assembly view of another embodiment of illuminableapparatus that incorporates teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a side plan view of yet another embodiment of illuminableapparatus of the invention;

FIGS. 7 through 10 schematically depict various processes that may beused to fabricate an illuminable apparatus;

FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate uses of an illuminable apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 through 3 depict an exemplary embodiment of an illuminableapparatus 10. Illuminable apparatus 10 includes a housing 20. Anoisemaking component 30 and an illumination element 40 may be formed byhousing 20. As illustrated, noisemaking component 30 and illuminationelement 40 may be integral parts of housing 20.

All or part of housing 20 of the exemplary embodiment depicted in FIGS.1 through 3 may be formed from a moldable material with a transparenceor translucence that will permit light of a desired intensity to passtherethrough. By way of example only, the material from which housing 20is formed may comprise a thermoplastic material or a curable polymer.Examples of thermoplastic materials that may be used to form housing 20include polyolefins (e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, etc.) ormixtures thereof, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,819,925, thedisclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein, in its entirety, bythis reference.

Noisemaking component 30 and illumination element 40 may be configuredto be readily available for immediate use when needed, despite theamount of time that has passed since the manufacture of illuminableapparatus 10 or the length of time for which illuminable apparatus hasbeen stored.

In the illustrated example, noisemaking component 30 comprises aone-piece whistle of any known configuration. As is well-known, awhistle or blow horn may be used repeatedly to generate a noise whichcan be heard or otherwise detected from a relatively long distance(e.g., several hundred feet or more). Alternatively, noisemakingcomponent 30 may comprise a more complex (e.g., multiple piece) whistle,which may also be configured for repeated use. Other alternativesinclude mechanical noisemakers (e.g., miniature air-horns), electronicalarms, and other devices that are known to generate audible signalsthat may be heard or otherwise detected from significant distances.Noisemaking component 30 may be configured to generate an audible signalthat may be heard from a significant distance (e.g., several hundredfeet or more).

The exemplary illumination element 40 shown in FIGS. 1 through 3includes a chamber 42, as can best be seen in FIG. 3. Illuminationelement 40 may be passive (e.g., it may be chemical-based, rather thanoperate electrically).

A chemiluminescent system 45, which includes a pair of chemicals 46 and47 (e.g., a luminescable material and an activator therefor) that, whenmixed, illuminate, is contained within chamber 42. A variety ofchemiluminescent systems that are suitable for use in aschemiluminescent system 45 are known in the art, including, but notlimited to, those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,747,796, 3,819,925, and3,934,539, the disclosures of each of which are hereby incorporatedherein, in their entireties, by this reference. As shown, one chemical46 may be contained within a breakable ampoule 48 disposed withinchamber 42, while the other chemical 47 may be disposed freely withinchamber 42. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4, chemicals 46 and 47 maybe contained within separate breakable ampoules 48 that are locatedwithin chamber 42. Each breakable ampoule 48 is fragile enough to bereadily broken when an individual intends to release chemical 46, 47therefrom (e.g., by bending housing 20), but robust enough to withstandother impacts on housing 20. Examples of suitable ampoule 48configurations and materials are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,747,796and 3,819,925.

Chamber 42 is formed by a section of housing 20 that may be manipulated,such as by flexing that part of housing 20. Optionally, housing 20 mayinclude a pinched region 41, which has a smaller outer diameter than theremainder of the portion of housing 20 at which illumination element 40is located, to facilitate manipulation of housing 20. Pinched region 41may also extend into chamber 42 to retain an ampoule 48 at a desiredlocation therein. Of course, as shown in FIGS. 7, 9, and 10, the housingof an illuminable apparatus according to the present invention need notinclude a pinched region.

Housing 20 of illuminable apparatus 10 may additionally include anengagement element 50 (e.g., a hole, an eyelet, etc.) by which theillustrated string 52, a ring, or another retaining element may besecured thereto. Alternatively, an engagement element 50′″ in the formof a clip may extend from a housing 20′″ of an illuminable apparatus10′″, as shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 illustrates a variation of illuminable apparatus 10′, in whichnoisemaking component 30′ is removably secured to an illuminationelement (e.g., illumination element 40′). Noisemaking component 30′ andthe illumination element may be secured to one another by complementarythreads, by an interference fit, or by other means for reversibleengagement 39′.

Another embodiment of illuminable apparatus 10″ is shown in FIG. 6. Likeilluminable apparatus 10 (FIGS. 1 through 3), illuminable apparatus 10″includes a housing 20″ with a noisemaking component 30 and a passiveillumination element 40″. Housing 20″ differs from housing 20, however,in that illumination element 40″ of housing 20″ is phosphorescent, orglows in the dark. Such phosphorescence may be achieved by formingillumination element 40″ of housing 20″, which may comprise all or partof housing 20″, from a moldable, phosphorescent material, or byincorporating a phosphorescent material into a moldable material fromall or part of housing 20″ is formed. Alternatively, a phosphorescentmaterial (e.g., in the form of a paint) may be coated onto at least aportion of the surface of housing 20″ to form illumination element 40″thereof. Suitable phosphorescent materials include, without limitation,zinc sulfide-based materials, as well as europium-based or other rareearth-based materials, such as those available from United NuclearScientific Supplies of Sandia Park, N. Mex. As is well known,phosphorescent materials may be reenergized with light and, thus, may beused repeatedly.

Illuminable apparatus that incorporate teachings of the presentinvention (e.g., illuminable apparatus 10, 10, ‘10′’) may be fabricatedby known processes, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 10.

In the case of illuminable apparatus that include assembled components,such as illuminable apparatus 10, an intermediate housing structure 201may initially be formed. As shown in FIG. 7, noisemaking component 30(e.g., a whistle, blow horn, etc.) may be formed as the remainder ofintermediate housing structure 201 is formed. Intermediate housingstructure 20I also includes an opening 43 that communicates with achamber 42 therein. Opening 43 is configured to facilitate theintroduction of one or more ampoules 48 and, optionally, a chemical 46,47 of chemiluminescent system 45 (FIG. 3) into chamber 42. Opening 43,therefore, facilitates the formation of illumination element 40 ofilluminable apparatus 10 (FIGS. 1 through 3).

FIG. 8 schematically illustrates the use of known molding processes toform intermediate housing structure 20I. Specifically, FIG. 8 showscross-sectional views through a mold 60, which includes two separablehalves 62 and 64.

Without limiting the scope of the invention, when a thermoplasticmaterial is used to form intermediate housing structure 201 (FIG. 7),known injection molding processes may be used. In such processes, aflowable (e.g., heated, liquefied) thermoplastic material 22 isintroduced, under pressure, into a cavity 66 of mold 60, which cavity 66is defined in abutting surfaces of complementary mold halves 62 and 64.If necessary, depending upon the desired configurations of housing 20,noisemaking component 30, and illumination element 40 (FIGS. 1 through7), mold 60 may include one or more inserts 68 that are configured to bedisposed within cavity 66. Depending upon the desired configuration ofhousing 20, the entire intermediate housing structure 201 may be formedin a single cavity 66 (e.g., when illuminable apparatus 10″ is formed)or in multiple cavities 66 a, 66 b, etc. (e.g., when illuminableapparatus 10, 10′, or 10″ is formed) (FIGS. 1 through 4), in which casethe separate pieces (e.g., noisemaking component 30′ (FIG. 4),intermediate illumination element 40′ (FIG. 4), etc.) may besubsequently assembled and secured to one another.

As another example, intermediate housing structure 201 may be formedfrom a curable material 22 by way of known molding and curing processes(e.g., transfer molding in which two components, such as a curablematerial and a catalyst, the two parts of a two-part epoxy, or the like,are introduced into a mold cavity simultaneously, by heating a mold thatincludes a cavity within which a thermally curable, or thermoset,material is disposed, by exposing a photo-curable material within thecavity of a transparent or translucent mold to an appropriate wavelengthof electromagnetic radiation, etc.).

Alternatively, molding processes may be used only to form noisemakingcomponent 30, which may then be secured to an intermediate housingstructure (not shown) having a generally tubular configuration.

As another alternative to an intermediate housing structure 20I thatincludes an integrated noisemaking component 30, an intermediate housingstructure may be configured to receive and releasably or permanentlyretain a separate noisemaking component, such as a whistle, blow horn,or the like (e.g., by molding the housing around the noisemakingcomponent; by securing the noisemaking component within the housing,then using known processes to cause the material of the housing toshrink; etc.).

Once material 22 has become sufficiently hard (e.g., cured, solidified,etc.), mold halves 62 and 64 may be separated from one another andinserts 68, if any, may be removed from the resulting articles ofmanufacture, as known in the art.

If illuminable apparatus 10, 10′ includes multiple pieces, these piecesmay be assembled with and secured to one another by appropriatetechniques. For example, elements that are configured to be removed fromone another may be reversibly secured to each other (e.g., byinterference fits, complementary threading, or other means forreversible engagement). Application of a suitable adhesive (or curablematerials or thermoplastic materials) or heat treatment (e.g., use offocused heat (e.g., welding), application of heat and pressure, etc.)(for thermoplastic materials) may be used to permanently secure elementsof illuminable apparatus 10, 10′ that are not to be disassembled to oneanother.

FIG. 9 shows the introduction of one or more ampoules 48 and materials46 and 47 of chemiluminescent system 45 into chamber 42 of intermediatehousing structure 201 through opening 43. The formation of illuminationelement 40 and of housing 20 (FIGS. 1 through 3) may be completed bysealing the components of chemiluminescent system 45 within chamber 42.Such sealing may be effected by use of known heat sealing processes whenintermediate housing structure 201 is formed from a thermoplasticmaterial. Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 10, a sealing element 44(e.g., a simple cap, as illustrated, a noisemaking component that hasbeen fabricated separately from intermediate housing structure 20I(e.g., noisemaking component 30′ of FIG. 5), etc.) may be secured inplace over opening 43 and secured to intermediate housing structure 20Iby known processes that are suitable for use with the material fromwhich intermediate housing structure 20I is formed. For example, whenintermediate housing structure 20I is formed from a thermoplasticmaterial, known plastic welding processes may be employed.Alternatively, glues, cements, or other adhesives that are compatiblewith the material of may intermediate housing structure 20I and sealingelement 44 may be used to secure sealing element 44 in place overopening 43 when intermediate housing structure 20I has been fabricatedfrom a curable material or a thermoplastic material.

In forming illuminable apparatus 10″ (FIG. 6), there is no need to forman intermediate housing structure, as phosphorescent material is eitherincorporated into the material from which the illumination element 40″portion of housing 20″ is formed, or phosphorescent material issubsequently applied to the surface of a portion of housing 20″.

Turning now to FIGS. 11 and 12, methods for attracting the attention ofan individual are depicted.

As illustrated in FIG. 11, an illuminable apparatus 10, 10′, 10″ may bestored for an indefinite period of time, then, when use thereof may benecessary or desired, worn around the neck of an individual, orotherwise carried by the individual (e.g., around the individual's wristor another body part, in the individual's pocket, clipped to an item ofthe individual's clothing, etc.) (not shown).

Illumination element 40″ of illuminable apparatus 10″, which includesphosphorescent material, may be energized or activated by exposing theelement to available natural or artificial light before use thereof as asource of light.

A method for audibly attracting the attention of an individual, such asin a situation where a person gets lost, is in danger, or otherwisewants to draw attention to herself, includes generating an audiblesignal and a visible signal using a single apparatus. As an example, anindividual could use illuminable apparatus 10, 10′, 10″ to audibly andvisibly attract the attention of another individual. The audible signalcould be generated by use of noisemaking component 30, 30′, 30″ (FIGS. 1through 7), while the visible signal could be generated by use ofillumination element 40, 40′, 40″ (FIGS. 1 through 7).

More specifically, a loud noise could be generated by blowing on thewhistle or horn of noisemaking component 30 of illuminable apparatus 10.If necessary or desirable, noisemaking component may be used repeatedlyover a short or long period of time, until the desired attention hasbeen attained. Audible signals may alternatively be generated byactivating a mechanical noisemaking component or an electronicnoisemaking component, as known and in a manner suitable for theparticular embodiment of noisemaking component included in illuminableapparatus 10, 10′, 10″.

Turning to FIG. 12, a visible signal may be generated by causingmaterials 46 and 47 of chemiluminescent system 45 within chamber 42 ofillumination element 40 of illuminable apparatus 10 to mix and,consequently, to emit light (see FIG. 3). More specifically, housing 20may be manipulated in such a way (e.g., by flexing or bendingillumination element 40 thereof, such as at pinched region 41) as tobreak each ampoule 48 contained within chamber 42 (FIG. 3). Generationof such a visible signal is particularly useful in dark conditions(e.g., at night, indoors when lights are out, in caves, etc.).

In addition, or as an alternative, to use of illumination element 40,40′, 40″ (FIGS. 1 through 7) to visibly gain the attention of anotherindividual, illumination element 40, 40′, 40″ may be used to provide anindividual with light (e.g., for safety, comfort, etc.) in darkconditions.

Although the foregoing description contains many specifics, these shouldnot be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention, butmerely as providing illustrations of some of the presently preferredembodiments. Similarly, other embodiments of the invention may bedevised which do not depart from the spirit or scope of the presentinvention. Features from different embodiments may be employed incombination. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated andlimited only by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, ratherthan by the foregoing description. All additions, deletions andmodifications to the invention as disclosed herein which fall within themeaning and scope of the claims are to be embraced thereby.

1. An illuminable apparatus, comprising: a noisemaking component that isconfigured to generate an audible signal; and a passive illuminationcomponent that generates a visible signal.
 2. The illuminable apparatusof claim 1, wherein the noisemaking component is configured to generatethe audible signal as an individual blows into the noisemakingcomponent.
 3. The illuminable apparatus of claim 2, wherein thenoisemaking component comprises one of a whistle and a blow horn.
 4. Theilluminable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the illumination component isconfigured to be reused.
 5. The illuminable apparatus of claim 4,wherein the illumination component comprises phosphorescent material. 6.The illuminable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the illumination componentis configured to be flexed to generate the visible signal.
 7. Theilluminable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the illumination componentcomprises a chemiluminescent system.
 8. The illuminable apparatus ofclaim 1, further comprising: a housing into which the noisemakingcomponent and the illumination component are integrally incorporated. 9.The illuminable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the noisemaking componentis configured to be reversibly secured to the illumination component.10. The illuminable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the illuminationcomponent is configured to emit light regardless of an age of theilluminable apparatus.
 11. A method for attracting attention,comprising: generating an audible signal with an illuminable apparatus;and causing the illuminable apparatus to passively emit light.
 12. Themethod of claim 11, wherein generating the audible signal comprisesblowing into a noisemaking component of the illuminable apparatus. 13.The method of claim 11, wherein causing the illuminable apparatus topassively emit light comprises exposing at least an illumination elementof the illuminable apparatus to a separate source of light prior to theact of causing.
 13. (canceled)
 14. The method of claim 11, whereincausing the illuminable apparatus to passively emit light comprisesmanipulating at least a portion of an illumination element of theilluminable apparatus.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein manipulatingcomprises flexing at least the portion of the illumination element. 16.The method of claim 14, wherein manipulating comprises causing at leasttwo chemicals of a chemiluminescent system to mix with one another. 17.The method of claim 11, further comprising: carrying the illuminableapparatus into a situation where it may be necessary or desirable toattract the attention of another individual.
 18. The method of claim 17,wherein carrying comprises wearing the illuminable apparatus around abody part.
 19. The method of claim 11, wherein causing the illuminableapparatus to passively emit light comprises causing the illuminableapparatus to emit light to increase an individual's safety.
 20. Themethod of claim 11, wherein causing the illuminable apparatus topassively emit light comprises generating a visible signal with theilluminable apparatus.